Legacy of the Lost
by carlycarter
Summary: Set in Season 7. Stevie/Alex/Regan/Grace
1. Chapter 1

With love and thanks to uJodi McLeod /ufor leaving you silver nokia to Stevie, and your share of Drovers Run to Regan iand her sisters/i

With love and thanks to Jodi McLeod for leaving you silver nokia to Stevie, and your share of Drovers Run to Regan and her sisters

(and nothing to your best friend Kate?? Oh well, Miss you Jodi xoxo)

For Tess, for your love and loyalty to those you considered family.

For Regan, ever standing strong to solve everyone else's problems, ever standing as a backdrop to everyone else's life story, a story just for you... (miss you already Regs xoxo)

ForGrace, because Regan loves you. That's all.

and last but not least

For Stevie, a chance to make things right.

CHAPTER 1

Stevie and Regan walked side by side into the showground. Neither could stop smiling. After the turmoil of the last weeks thinking they had lost Jodi, and then the relief of finding out she was alive and safe, life seemed so good. Simple things brought so much joy, and it seemed everything was at peace with the world.

Behind Stevie's smile was more than joy over Jodi. Her long awaited dreams of being with Alex had finally come true. She could scarcely believe that after the years of longing for him, crying over him, hurting him and being hurt by him, that finally he had come to her and told her that he loved her. Her joy overtook all her senses and she threw herself head first into the relationship without a second thought for the consequences, for all the pain they had caused one another, or where it was all going to end up one day. She lived for the moment, and the moment was beyond her wildest dreams.

Regan smiled at finally having found her place at home on Drovers Run. At the generosity of her cousins gift of a substantial stake in Drovers Run. It was her chance to make something of her life, to leave behind the bad memories from her previous career. After the mining accident where those men were killed, she knew she could not go back to her previous job, that she didn't want to. And it seemed she had nothing left. That was the only job she was trained to do, she spent so much of her life in her profession that she had no time for relationships. She had nothing left to her life, and she wished more than once it was herself that had been killed, and not those men who seemed to have so much more to live for.

That was when she remembered Drovers Run. And Tess her cousin who showed her kindness after kindness even when Regan threatened everything precious to her. And Dave.

Regan silently scolded herself for thinking of Dave. It was over. He was in Africa. With Kate. For a short time they had fun, he had been something she needed, but not needed enough to compromise herself. She was not enough for him to make that commitment, and she wouldn't settle for anything less.

Now all her energies focused on Drovers Run-To make her mark in McLeod history.

Stevie felt her phone vibrating in her pocket. Jodi's phone. Her inheritance. What she once though of as a piece of useless junk was now so special. That soft beep beep noise made her heart skip, and she couldn't help the way her eyes lit up at the thought of the man who had sent that message.

Regan noticed the smile on Stevie's face as that phone beeped, and gave her friend a knowing look, although they hadn't uttered a word about Alex. Regan could sense from her friend some excitement. A peace that only seemed to come from Alex. She was glad for her friend, but she was cautious too. She had seen it one too many times, Stevie fall apart because of that man, and she wondered how many times he could shatter her before she broke completely.

Stevie immediately and carefully pulled the phone from her pocket, careful to shield the phone from Regan's curious eyes.

"Come on you can tell me Stevie, What's going on??" Regan tried to get her friend to spill the latest news of Alex. Stevie had always told her what was going on with Alex, be it good or bad, and she sensed something was somehow different this time that Stevie didn't want to share it with her.

"Trust me, you'll be the first person I'll tell." Stevie replied, but her eyes and her attention were glued to that phone.

It was then Regan looked up and saw something that made stop dead in her tracks, causing Stevie to divert her attention from her phone for a moment.

"What's up?" Stevie asked

Regan stood speechless and stunned, and not very much like Regan at all, who always seemed so composed. Something had rocked her. Stevie followed her gaze trying to imagine what it was that startled her friend, she looked towards the horses and competitors, expecting to see an alien landing. But there were just people, horses, every day life. She turned puzzled back to her friend, her mouth open to ask again what was up, but Regan was gone. Just like that.

Regan turned and quickly walked away from what she had seen, what she thought she had seen, or more to the point who. Jodi's words rang in her ears "iFor you and your sisters." /i

i"I don't have sisters." Regan wanted to reply. "Only one sister, Jasmine, and that's bad enough thank you." /i

Why had Jodi said isisters?/i Had Jasmine mentioned something about Grace? Regan had never mentioned it that's for sure. And thankfully Jodi was in such a rush to escape that the conversation never went further.

Regan sighed, slowing her pace. It was not that she didn't love Grace, or even Jasmine. Well, at the very least, she didn't hate them. She often wished she would be more like Tess, like Tess who took her in even after she tried to destroy that property, Tess who loved her even before she laid eyes on her, because Tess just loved her family so much. Regan's own sisters were difficult to love like that. But Regan reminded herself that she has probably not been very easy to love when she tried to destroy Drovers either, but Tess had managed it somehow, and even Jodi, Kate and Stevie had accepted her back into their lives. And now Jodi, who once hated her so fiercely, had left this piece of inheritance to her….iand to her sisters. /i

Jasmine was like a stranger to her, someone she wouldn't recognise if she passed on the street except for the photo she had seen hanging at Drovers. That didn't bother her so much. It didn't bother Jasmine either. They had gone their separate ways and that was all there was to it. There never seemed to be this longing that Tess described as she grew up apart form Claire, never any sadness at what was lost. It was just the way it was. There were no hard feeling, no feelings at all really. Not even any regret. If Jasmine turned up tomorrow at Drovers, Regan would be polite, and no doubt Jasmine would too, and for a few days they could maintain polite conversation, then Jasmine would have to leave, or Regan would. That was all there was to it. They were never meant to be in close proximity to one another. It's a good thing Jasmine showed no interest in Drovers, and Regan was sure it would stay that way as long as she was around the place.

But Grace, Grace was different. Different altogether on every level and for so many reasons that it was impossible to even imagine Jasmine and Grace both fell into that same category as isister./i Regan had tried hard with Grace, again and again, and then given up. Because it turned her into a bitter angry hurt person that she didn't want to be. So she had walked away. But unlike her shattered relationship with Jasmine, this time there was regret, and anger, and pain, and a whole lot if wishing things would have been somehow different. Her own mistakes hung over her head, as well as those of Grace. It was a mutual war and both had given as good as they received over the years. There had been no winner, only two battle scarred sisters, who had lost the most precious thing of all, each other.

There wasn't anyone on the planet who hurt her like Grace could. Sure other people hurt her- Dave for example. But Regan had brushed him off, walked away, and never gave him the chance to hurt her again. And that was the pattern with anyone who hurt her. It was simple and effective. But the one person she couldn't seem to just brush out of her life like that, was Grace.

Grace was impossible to walk away from, impossible to say no to, and impossible to forget. When she had called only weeks ago, Regan had come running, no questions asked. Not because of the huge weight Grace held over her head, but simply because that's was what she had always done. She had told the others she was visiting her sick mother. No one paid much attention to her absence. Tayler missed her that was clear, but the others showed little interest. Even Stevie didn't seem to notice there was something else going on. That hurt Regan more than a little, after all the times she had been there for Stevie over the years. But in a way she was glad Stevie hadn't noticed, then there was no need to explain anything.

Regan knew she was far from innocent, and had enough insight to realise that Grace was not entirely to blame. There were times her own conscience convicted her more harshly than any words from Grace ever could. But there were things that could not be changed, and couldn't be made up for. And it seemed that they would forever be stuck on opposite sides of a great big something. There were times she hated Grace throughout the years. Grace was the only person on the planet she felt the need to use that word for. But even when she was younger, and angrier, Regan knew it was all so complicated. That there was such a fine line between love and hate. And that what she and Grace had was still better somehow than what she had with Jasmine, because at least she and Grace didn't have nothing.

Stevie turned to follow Regan, but was interrupted as a stranger took her hand and introduced herself.

"Hi I'm Grace." The blond woman said cheerily.

Stevie responded with a confused look, her thoughts still with the strange disappearance of her friend Regan, and before that to the message from Alex she had yet to read.

"I'm competing against you today." The strange blond woman continued.

"Oh Right, Stevie Hall, well good luck out there." Stevie said, hoping to make a quick get away, but stopping long enough to notice there was something odd about her fellow competitor. iGrace/i she repeated the name to herself. It didn't seem to fit this woman, who did not appear graceful in the least.

"Sorry I gotta go, my friend is waiting for me." Stevie finished hastily and hurried off to follow Regan, not stopping long enough to figure out what it was about this woman that seemed somewhat familiar.


	2. Chapter 2

Regan forced herself to stop

Regan forced herself to stop. Stop running and take a deep breath. This was crazy, to find herself so spooked. And by what? By a ghost of someone she had long ago left behind. Or not so long ago. Regan thought back to the last time she had seen Grace only weeks ago. The years had been full of days like that one. Arguments, tears, accusations. But this last one had been different somehow. They had both left with the understanding that it would be their last meeting. It was no ones choice. They had just finally, mutually, reached the limit. They had parted ways promising to keep their distance.

Despite the promise, Regan stopped to wonder if she had been seeking Grace, even subconsciously. If she had come to this camp draft deliberately, into territory that belonged to Grace. Regan had intentionally not scanned the list of competitors. But still she couldn't deny that in the depth of the night she had wondered and dreamed and thought about the possibility she might run into Grace, if not today, then one day. All that dreaming, and planning, and if she was honest even hoping--all just to run a mile at the sight of someone who even slightly resembled Grace. It was madness. Complete insanity to be seeking something so relentlessly for years and then run away not even able to stand and face it for one minute.

Regan sat under a tree, suddenly feeling that she could no longer stand. For so long she had been trying to forget. And sometimes she did. But in that one moment, events of long ago suddenly overwhelmed her. As pictures, faces, and voices collided inside her mind, she closed her eyes and surrendered to the demons of the past. She was so consumed in another time, another place, that she wasn't aware of the person who silently stood watching her curiously.

Stevie stood puzzled for a few moments trying to figure out the direction Regan had gone, not to mention the reason why Regan had disappeared like that. She finally decided on a random direction and headed off. She walked quickly for no reason. Just a sinking feeling that something wasn't right. A feeling that got stronger with every step she took, an irrational fear of something unknown. She cast her mind over the last days and weeks. Now that she stopped to consider it, Regan had seemed distracted ever since she returned from visiting her mother. But Regan hadn't mentioned anything specific that was bothering her, and Stevie had been too caught up in her own life to even really ask.

And now Stevie stopped to wonder what could have possible spooked Regan like that causing her to run and leave Stevie stranded with that strange, unfamiliar woman. Was it Dave? Seeing Kate? Hearing about the two of them in Africa? No, Stevie quickly decided, not even Dave had ever really rocked her. Regan had always seemed so together, so on top of everything. It was what they all counted on her to be. Someone had to be. And that someone was always Regan.

Something wasn't right. And, unable to comprehend it, Stevie walked onwards scanning the horizon for answers, for Regan. Focusing on the task ahead of her was difficult. Something hung in her head, something alarmed her about that stranger, and that random insignificant meeting. And she was unable to dismiss it from her mind. On top of that, the silver phone in her pocket was constantly beeping, causing her to smile involuntarily even in the midst of her worries for her friend.

Her hand on the phone, Stevie stopped suddenly in her tracks as the realisation struck her. She had been distracted by Alex, and then by Regan disappearing. And she was thrown by the hair, the length, the colour, and the confident way the woman had introduced herself with a different name, as if they were strangers. 'Grace' she had called herself. What was she playing at? She may have changed her hair and her name, but Stevie hadn't. Why pretend to be someone else? Why pretend to introduce herself? And how on earth had Stevie been so distracted that it took her this long to put it all together? Stevie was so startled that she screamed when she felt someone place a hand on her shoulder.

"Run, Regan, Run" Grace whispered under her breath. Regan had always run. She played her little game, pretended she was the one chasing, that she was going to come along and save Grace from whatever it was she thought Grace needed saving from. But all along it was always Regan running away, and Grace just trying to keep up, and finally being left behind. Grace turned, somewhat sadly, some what triumphantly, trying to take joy in the fact she had been right all along. She didn't need Regan, Regan didn't need her, couldn't even stand the sight of her.

Surprised to see her sister? Grace was not entirely. Surprised to see Stevie Hall? A little bit. Surprised to see her sister with Stevie Hall? Yes. She hadn't seen Stevie for years. She figured Stevie would have given the rodeo away, much like she had. Like she had, until today. Today was the day. She figured Stevie wrong. She had always figured Stevie wrong. She couldn't believe that Stevie stood there and shook her hand as if they were strangers. Was she that blind? Had Grace changed that much? Had Stevie forgotten so quickly? Half her luck if she had, Grace decided. Grace could not even figure herself out, standing there introducing herself as a stranger. She didn't know what came over her. Still it mattered not. Stevie had run, much like Regan. The both of them ran as fast as they could. And that was the least astonishing thing of all.


	3. Chapter 3

Alex stood for a moment hesitating

Alex stood for a moment hesitating. He had seen Regan rushing through the crowd and watched her. Silently he loooked on un noticed as she sat under a tree crying. He felt uncomfortable, and looked over his shoulder anxiously for Stevie. He did not know what to say, but felt unable to stand back and watch her so clearly distressed.

She was startled as he approached her and jumped as he gently called her name. "Regan? Is everything ok?" He thought to himself instantly it was a rather stupid thing to say, as clearly everything was not ok, or she would not be sitting here crying.

Regan looked up surprised to see Alex Ryan standing over her, and surprised even more at the soft caring tone of voice. She had not conversed with him often, but on those rare occasions she found him to be loud and rude. The image she had painted in her head of him was largely one built from her perspective as she watched the man break her best friends heart over and over. She had thought him thouroughly selfish and un caring, and had told him so to his face. It was strange to see him now looking at her so softly, his eyes full of concern. She began to see the side to him that Stevie must have fallen in love with him. She thought back to Stevie's strange happy mood, and wondered if this softness in Alex was attributed to whatever secret thing was going on between the two.

"Everything is fine." She had said slowly as she collected her thoughts and stood to her feet, wiping her tears.

"Good." Alex had said, although not beleiving it. It wasn't his business to pry into Regan's personal life. He had never seen her cry, in fact he was curious as to what could have upset her so much. She seemed always so strong, without problems.

Regan hastily excused herself and headed towards the car park. Alex wanted to let her go, he was not good at dealing with crying women. But something in him led him to follow her.

"Where are you going?" He asked

"I have to go, I just remembered something I have to do, at Drovers. I'll see you later." She said quickly not turning to look at him, and he could hear in her voice that she was trying not to cry.

"But we just got here. Just drove four hours to get here. You can't leave without the others, how will they get home? And the horses?"

Regan was surprised to find the things that came out of the mans mouth were logical and made sense. This whole day had been a completley bizarre experience. She could not leave the others stranded. The whole thing was so ridiculous. She wasn't even sure what she had seen. What she was running from. Only that in the deepest darkest secret place inside her was this terrible fear of something. All she could think of was to run. She said nothing in reply to Alex, afraid that speaking would cause her to cry again. She prided herself on being someone who did not cry, who did not run from things she was scared of. What must he think of her? She tried not to look at him, somehow his concerned questioning eyes made her want to cry even more. She tried to collect her thoughts and hope he would just get bored and go away.

Alex looked down to the ground, unsure what to say or do next. He had no idea really what was going on at all. And he could think of nothing comforting to say. "I'll go find Stevie yeah?" He suggested. That was clearly the best option.

"No, please, Its fine. Stevie is busy preparing for the event. I'm fine really." She did not want Stevie to be here any more than she wanted Alex to be. Stevie knew nothing about any of this. Nothing about the things that tormented Regan endlessly since she had returned from her trip. She hadn't bothered to notice anything was wrong. Regan was torn between resentment and relief. She did not have the energy to get into a discussion right now, and to answer the questions that would be asked.

"Ok. I'll see you later then." Alex said as he headed off in search of Stevie. Regan nodded in response not able to compose a reply. She took a deep breath and tried to compose herself as she watched him walk away. It was going to be a long day and she needed somewhere out of the way to hide.

Stevie turned quickly to find no one immediately behind her. Faces in the crowd stared looking for the source of the scream. She smiled embarrased at the strangers. As she surveyed the crowd she saw it. Only briefly. A glimpse of...something. A man dashing through the crowds out of sight. She could not have said what it was about this brief flash of an image that distinguished the body from any other. But she caught her breath in recognition.

She closed her eyes, and in her mind her the image of her brother stood before her. As she opened her eyes she saw only strangers who had thankfully stopped looking at her. She searched the crowds for any sign of familiarity and found none. She shook her head in disbeilef, her mind was playing tricks on her. She looked over her shoulder to the place where minutes ago she had encountered the person from her past. The woman who had disguised herself, called herself "Grace", and stood and introduced herself as if they were strangers. Perhaps her mind was playing tricks on her. Her encounter with "Grace" had made her think of past things, past people. That all. And as she took a deep breath she was no longer sure the woman was anyone she knew. Perhaps it was a stranger after all, one who just looked like the person she used to know. The meeting was so brief, she was not paying attention. It made her think of her brother. That was all.

But she felt a shiver down her spine, and as she wrapped her arms around herself to keep warm she somehow knew, just knew beyond all logic and doubt, that she had not been mistaken. It had been her. And it had been her brother. They were here. And here together. She knew it for certain but she did not understand why.

As once again she felt a hand upon her shoulder she spun quickly around, silently this time, to find Alex standing before her. She threw herself into his arms. Relieved to be back in the real world, in the present time, in a safe place with familiar people, in the arms of the man she loved. She kissed him and was dissapointed as he pulled away. It was not like him to do so. She wondered if he was teasing, and looked up to him with a pleading look in her eyes.

"I think you should go find Regan." He had said.

And with those words Stevie lost all thought of the ghosts from her past, and remembered the strange behaviour Regan had displayed earlier.

"I was just looking for her. Come with me?" She suggested not wanting to cut short her time with Alex.

"I don't think thats a great idea. She was crying and stuff. Well maybe its like a personal girly thing, I'll just wait for you."

"Sure." Stevie said, growing concerned about her friend. She leaned forward to kiss him goodbye, still getting used to the idea that he belonged to her and she could kiss him wherever and whenever she liked. Not so very long ago such kisses happened only in her dreams. He took hold of her hand and squeezed it gently. As she walked away she stretched out her hand, holding on as long as she could, relishing the moment of being so close to him. His fingers slipped from his grasp and she turned and walked away. She longed to look back but was frightened he would be gone. She could not shake the irational fear that at any moment her content happy peaceful life was about to slip out of her grasp in just the same way.

Grace pushed thoughts of her sister aside as she hurried to the arranged meeting place. She was late and he was waiting inpatiently tapping his foot. She had rarely seen him impatient. Not seen him agitated in any way. He always appeared so calm, so in control. Perhaps because he always had been.

"You." She said coldly as she stood opposite him with her arms folded. What a strange day. Her sister Regan, and Stevie Hall, and now Stevie's brother. It was a happy family reunion all round.

"Don't act surprised. You knew i'd come in person this time."

She shrugged trying to pretend his presense had not bothered her. "What do you want?" She asked.

"Don't pretend you don't know what I want." He snapped, getting inpaient.

It amused her more than frightened her to see him losing his cool. It was unnatural for him. He was frightened, she realised, and this somehow made her less so. "I can't give you what I haven't got, can I?" She told him. She had never been one to tip toe around him. She was not afraid to challenge him, to answer back.

"You better get it then. And fast. Don't play games with me. I need it. Today." He took a step closer to her, staring with cold determined eyes, but she was not intimidated.

"You know I can't." She told him casually as she shrugged. "What are you going to do about it?"

He stepped back considering her question. There was no one else who would dare speak to him in such a manner. It un nerved him. He could find no answer, what was left that he could do about it? He could not kill her, he needed her. He could not threaten her she was not afraid of anything he had left to hold over her head or blackmail her with. And so he settled upon his last option. Bribery.

"I think when you hear what I have to offer you, you will be more than willing to co operate." He stated.

She was intrigued more than anything. Curious what he thought he could possible offer her. And astounded that he thought anything would make a difference. He could give her the moon she still didn't have what he wanted. But in an attempt to take her mind away from Regan, from Stevie, from that recurring event of people running far and fast to get away from her, she followed eager to hear his proposal.


End file.
